The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-03-31

than your share or the CerT1DtS losses
and sacrifices Of the war. It Is over
thank God, but the courage, bravery
and fortitude of both sides are now the
Think not that 1 come
here to reproach any man for the part
he took in that fight or to revive in the
heart OF any the triumphs of victory
or the pangs Of defeat. do not come
to make apologies, nor do ask any Of
you. The war was perhaps unayoida-
bly, bound to come some time and the
sooner ended the better for all. claim
that the Republican party was actu-
ated not by a spirit OF hate OF
conquest or revenge, but only by fer
ed purpose to maintain the constitu-
ton as they understood it. No man in
the North questions the honesty Of the
purpose or the heroism, with which the
Confederates maintained their cause,
and you will give credit for like cour-
age and honorable motives to
Union soldiers. North and South.
When the war was over the people Of
the North heartily approved the gen.
erous terms granted by General Grant
to General Lee and the Confederate
troops and wished that the people OF
the South should be restored all their
such conditions as honor and good faith
seemed to demand arising out of the
proclamation of President Lincoln for
the emancipation of the slaves, and
both sides felt that the abolition of
slavery was the necessary result OF the
war, and it seems to us if they were to
be free they must be armed with the
privilege of free men and these were
secured to them by constitutional
amendments. The attempt to enforce
these rights by national authority has
thus far partially failed and
now it is conceded that under
limitation of the constitution, the
rights of the citizen of state can only
be enforced through state or national
tribunals where public opinion is
intolerant, and jurors will not do their
duty. A citizen. either white or black,
may be without remedy for the grossest
wrong except the right to mi
CRATE to where his rights will
be respected. Our institutions
are based upon the idea that
such denial of rights is impossible, and
trust that the time is not far distant
feel it to be both just and eXpedient
that every citizen of the state shall be
protected in the free and equal enjoy
ment of every right and privilege con-
ferred by the constitution of the United
States. The Republican party is
pledged to this policy, and though it
will use no uncOnStitutional
means to secure its rights
it would be disloyal to its principles if it
does not use all its legal power to that
end. No wrong can be done to the
humblest citizen and no right withheld
without reacting upon the community
Of 1aroro I TUoa nrIod n hnur in uoaaiV1O
through several of the Southern states
conservative citizens say that public
sentiment now revolts at unlawful
methods to defeat the free exercise of
the equal rights of citizens that have
been adopted in several states and are
still practiced in what are known as the
black counties of the South. AS long
as such methods are resorted to, there
will be the keen sense of wrong and
who practice such offenses Will, in
the end, suffer for it. Sectional feeling
will continue to exist as long
as large masses of people; whether
poor or rich; white or black;
are denied their rights to self govern
ment. 1t sets bad example, which
the criminal classes in the North have
in some cases eagerly adopted, to cheat
at elections, as in Cincinnati two years
ago. 1t also produces inequality of
representation between the North and
South and this keeps up sectional lines
in party politics. 1t opens the way to
the corruption and fraud which in time
destroys all pretence of Republican
government. But there is another
ground upon which pre-
fer to base my appeal to
the south for justice and fair play to
the African race. 1t was recently
eloquently stated in debate by Senator
Vest, of Missouri, that 81 have nothing
to say to any man who thinks that Ito
day would grind the African race out
of one cent. If any man in this world
has reason to be their friend I am
that man-raised with them, nursed by
one of them and an humble owner
of them as inherited property.
1 never bought or sold one
for gain in my life. They are docile,
inoffensive race and the Southern man
who would wrong them deserves to be
blotted from the roll of manhood.
When our wives and children were in
their hands during the war, they acted
as to make every man in the South
their friend who had one particle of
manhood about him." If this
be so, as all history attests, then
we may appeal to the manly
spirit of bur own race to protect these
freedmen from the lawless injustice and
cruelties of all those of our race who
may hereafter seek to deprive them of
plain constitutional rights, either by
open force or by taking advantage of
their ignorance. If the kindly spirit
the color line will disappear from
American politics, and we can then
look only to the safety, development
and power of one great and united
country. The freedman in the full en-
joyment of his rights will divide be-
tween parties as other citizens do, and
his labor will become the great factor
in the wealth and prosperity Of the re-
gion in which he lives. 1t is now
contributing its full share in
building up with marvellous
ersed and will be of infinitely more
value to the South than the needless
and listless labor of slaves in the olden
times. Treat these people with kind
ness and just regard to their conSti-
tutiOnal rights and they will vote with
you and do their full share to make the
South rich, prosperous and happy. also
wish to express in the strongest Language
my admiration and respect for the vim
and energy with which the South If
graphing with the new condition OF
ldDO4 cAlA0 OHOJ ok
surrounded, and my confident belief
that within a single generation YOU
people will more than be repaid the
value of their slaves by results Of indus
try and subdivision of land. The
speaker then turned to questions OF
national politics, viz: taxation, cur
rency, public credit, foreign and dOmes-
tic commerce, education and internal
improvement. He discussed at length
the history of taxation and
the protective tariff, saying
that Tennessee with its great
natural advantages for manufacturing
should embrace the Republican policy
of protection. Regarding currency be
asserted that every measure for it,
benefit had been effected by
the Republicans and opposed
by the Democrats. The Demo
Gratis since coming into power had
failed to keep their promise to diminish
the reserve in the treasury. The spea
ker criticised the Administration fol
doing nothing to relieve the threatened
stringency of the money mar
ket. The Republicans had ad
vocated national aid towar(
education. But the Democrats hat
defeated it. They had favored the i'm
4 Of but